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Building a house

FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
Well, the new house we are building just started framing this week. Attached is the picture of what it looked like as of yesterday. We will likely move in sometime in late June, early July.

Jake

Comments

  • SpiritOneSpiritOne Magneto ABQ NM
    Cool, and congrats... We built ours 3 years ago now, and it was a great feeling to move in. We got really into the whole home improvement thing for a while too, painting rooms, doing some yard-scaping etc.. Then we kind of ran out of time. We are back in that mode lately though, we finally finished painting the last room in the house, the kitchen, we also did a chair rail and those vertical planks that run from the molding up to the chair rail. Looks really good.
  • Falcon1Falcon1 Elite Ranger
    Best of luck with it :)

    Timber build is so quick compared to block/brick used over here. Its becoming more popular to build timber houses in the UK. There's a German company that builds custom timber houses and ships them with a build time of about 7 days. Very impressive stuff!
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    Nice. Itll be interesting to see how it turns out. Keep us posted. :)
  • The Cabl3 GuyThe Cabl3 Guy Elite Ranger
    Is this something you designed yourself?
  • Vorlons in my HeadVorlons in my Head The Vorlons told me to.
    Guess I know the feeling. I've been doing a full remodel of my apartment doing everything completely by myself for the last year and a half. Takes pretty much most of my free time. Basically gutting it out until there is nothing but the bare columns. Someday I'll get around to posting before and after pictures.

    [QUOTE=Falcon1;158183]Best of luck with it :)

    Timber build is so quick compared to block/brick used over here. Its becoming more popular to build timber houses in the UK. There's a German company that builds custom timber houses and ships them with a build time of about 7 days. Very impressive stuff![/QUOTE]

    No doubt, construction here is all mostly poured concrete and cinder block. Takes at least a year and more to build a house. Its actually much cheaper to build that way than timber though. Timber has to be shipped in adding to the cost. The basic ingredients for concrete are everywhere and the whole construction industry is geared around it so its cheap. It is comforting to know once built your house will at least outlive you several times over with no significant maintenance as well as easily standing up to nasty hurricanes with no sweat.
  • shadow boxershadow boxer The Finger Painter & Master Ranter
    whats your insulation rating, in both the walls and the ceiling/roof ?
    double glazed ?
    what type of heating and cooling are you using ?
  • shadow boxershadow boxer The Finger Painter & Master Ranter
    by the by, concrete is one of the most energy intensive ways of building anything.
  • Vorlons in my HeadVorlons in my Head The Vorlons told me to.
    [QUOTE=Falcon1;158183]Best of luck with it :)

    Its becoming more popular to build timber houses in the UK. [/QUOTE]

    Kind of interesting considering modern tendency is actually going the other way with concrete substituting timber.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    While the design of the house is rather uninspired, it's still one of the most difficult, expensive, time-consuming, satifying things one can do in one's life. :)
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    we've been looking at buying, but the property value's around here have been skyrocketing, so now, we're looking at buying either some land with a trailor on it and living in the trailer while we build, or just some land that we can put a cheap tralilor on while we build, but even that won't be cheap, guess when you live on an Island, you gotta deal with high land value since there isn't that much land, lol
  • E.TE.T Quote-o-matic
    No more pics?
    That just looks more like assembling some kit than building a house.

    BTW, you definitely don't use too long eaves there... I guess you don't have so much rain.


    [QUOTE=Vorlons in my Head;158193]It is comforting to know once built your house will at least outlive you several times over with no significant maintenance as well as easily standing up to nasty hurricanes with no sweat.[/QUOTE]Actually without good iron reinforcement missiles thrown by mediocre tornadoes could make lot of new ventilation holes to concrete/block/brick walls.
  • Space GhostSpace Ghost Elite Ranger
    Congrats! Hope everything is going well.

    Looks like you're building in a housing development. Is your neighborhood new or is it a new section of an older area?
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE=Entil'Zha;158225]guess when you live on an Island, you gotta deal with high land value since there isn't that much land[/QUOTE]

    So that's why...
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    Can we get floor plans? :D
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    [quote=E.T;158228]Actually without good iron reinforcement missiles thrown by mediocre tornadoes could make lot of new ventilation holes to concrete/block/brick walls.[/quote]

    They will still last better than a frame house in such situations :)
  • Vorlons in my HeadVorlons in my Head The Vorlons told me to.
    [QUOTE=E.T;158228]No more pics?
    Actually without good iron reinforcement missiles thrown by mediocre tornadoes could make lot of new ventilation holes to concrete/block/brick walls.[/QUOTE]

    Well yes, but its also a code violation to not use correct steel reinforcement in concrete and block, not to mention a generally bad idea. Its like everything else, if its not properly built you'll have problems.
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    [QUOTE=The Cabl3 Guy;158192]Is this something you designed yourself?[/QUOTE]

    Nope, pretty much an off-the shelf floor plan that we really liked The community in which we are building has almost 80 different plans available if you count all the attached and detached home styles, so its easy to find a suitable plan

    [QUOTE=shadow boxer;158194]whats your insulation rating, in both the walls and the ceiling/roof ?
    double glazed ?
    what type of heating and cooling are you using ?[/QUOTE]

    Roof= R30, not remembering the wall at the moment, will need to look up. Windows are a high quality Kolbe-Kolbe units: [url]http://www.kolbe-kolbe.com/homeOwner/index.cfm?page=products&sub=learnHeritage#species[/url]

    Heating is natural gas, A/C is a 13 SEER compressor unit.

    [QUOTE=E.T;158228]No more pics?
    That just looks more like assembling some kit than building a house.

    BTW, you definitely don't use too long eaves there... I guess you don't have so much rain.
    [/QUOTE]

    It's a stick-built home, not a kit, but they put up some many in this community, that they can frame very quickly, so unless you are seeing to actual work, it seems like a kit is going up.

    Missouri gets moderate rain-fall so long eaves aren't a must. For some reason the architech has choosen fairly short eaves on all the houses.

    We chose a very simple design on purpose, when finished, it will have a look that is often refered to as saltbox. Most the new homes going up in our region make great efforts to look like bad imitations of "French Villas", which basicly entails throwing up rocks and arches on the from of a house that has way too many roofline changes given the squarefootage.

    The community we are moving to is best described as a traditional neighbour development. It is quite different from most normal suburban developments in that it attempts to replicate the designs, layout and pedistrian-friendly structure of much older communities.

    [url]www.newtownatstcharles.com[/url]

    Jake
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Does it have one of those weird home owner's associations?
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    So, is it just a new place growing out of nowwhere?
  • Falcon1Falcon1 Elite Ranger
    Well when I say popular to build in timber its more trendy as the company that builds those houses in germany doesn't do em cheap. Think the one that was on Channel 4 Grand Designs program was between £250-350k. It did come with all fittings like kitchen and bathroom, light swtiches etc. So you did get a good bit for your money but still its not something all of us can afford.

    I'd like to build a part timber/stone fronted house. I've have some ideas for years now and it would probably end up being a £1m cost build :p If I won the lottery of course. I'd build it back home in Ireland on the hill above the farm. Has stunning views. Something to dream about.

    The best insulation to go for they say is sheeps wool. Expensive but worth it apparently. Plus is easy to install as doesn't eat your skin/eyes/lungs like normal insulation.

    I'm actually selling my flat at the moment. Have decided to take the plunge and buy a place with the gf! An exciting and scary chapter. We might look at getting a slightly run down house that needs some tlc. A "project house" does kind of appeal but leaving and eating dust kinda doesn't at the same time. We shall see what happens. Anyone after a flat??? :p Oh here's the posting for it if people want to be nosey ;)

    [url]http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14540512.rsp?pa_n=7&tr_t=buy[/url]
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    [QUOTE=Biggles;158302]Does it have one of those weird home owner's associations?[/QUOTE]

    Yes, actually it has more of a quasi-governmental body as opposed to a more traditional homeowners association. When completed, there will be 7 districts that each have their own board, then a board of governors that will be made up reps from each board. The General Assembly as the governing body is called oversees everything from maintenance of the streets ands parks to the organization of events and activities. This isn't a small community at all, when completed the development will have a population of over 10,000.

    [QUOTE=Messiah;158304]So, is it just a new place growing out of nowwhere?[/QUOTE]

    Unfortunately, this is a greenfield development, but in St. Louis, there is little opportunity for brownfield developments in areas that one might be interested, particularly those with good schools. St. Louis city proper has plenty of space for development, but the school district is the worst in the region.

    While this development does in a way contribute to urban sprawl, what is different is the density of housing is much, much higher than found in most suburban and ex-urban developments, even the largest home has only a minimal lot. In addition, all the streets are pedestrian friendly, with sidewalks on all sides of the streets. There are no cul-de-sacs or tract homes common in US suburbia. In addition, the development has retail and light commercial mixed in, with the option of live/work units (shop on the bottom, apartment above), all of this is intended to better integrate people back into the community instead of making your house a place where you go an insulate yourself from the rest of the world (as happens in most suburban developments).

    Jake
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [QUOTE=Freejack;158311]Yes, actually it has more of a quasi-governmental body as opposed to a more traditional homeowners association.[/quote]

    Do they do things like insist your lawn is cut at a certain length and that you can't hang up christmas wreaths shaped like peace symbols? ;)

    [quote]In addition, all the streets are pedestrian friendly, with sidewalks on all sides of the streets.[/QUOTE]

    All three sides? Wow!
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    I'm always amazed at how many of these types of neighborhoods don't have adequate pedestrian paths. And on those that do, how few actually use them.
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    [QUOTE=Biggles;158330]Do they do things like insist your lawn is cut at a certain length and that you can't hang up christmas wreaths shaped like peace symbols? ;)[/QUOTE]

    In a way yes, though I believe the spirit of this community is much more centered on freedom of self expression than that ridiculous case in Colorado. In the long term the governing body is much more a representative-based body than most homeowners associations. In the short term the builder still appoints the members of the general assembly in proportion to the amount of the development that is still under their management.

    [QUOTE=Biggles;158330]All three sides? Wow![/QUOTE]

    Not sure where the third side of the street is ;) A more correct wording would have been, all streets have sidewalks on both sides. Basically, there is not a home or business in New Town (the name of the community) that one must leave a sidewalk to reach (other than crosswalks).

    [QUOTE=Sanfam;158334]I'm always amazed at how many of these types of neighborhoods don't have adequate pedestrian paths. And on those that do, how few actually use them.[/QUOTE]

    Tell me about it, New Town is in stark contrast to the subdivision we are in now, which has no sidewalks and wide meandering streets, which is a bad combination if you want to go for a walk, given the speed at which cars generally travel.

    BTW, the name of the community is New Town at St. Charles, pays homage to Old Town St. Charles, which is one of the oldest communities in Missouri and the place Lewis and Clark started their westward journey up the Missouri River. NT is in close promixity to Old Town and many of the homes are modeled after homes in that area. Other homes closely resemble the Sears homes of the 1920s.

    Jake
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